Perseid meteor shower to light up UAE’s desert skies
Stargazers will head to the desert to watch the Perseid meteor shower light up the skies this weekend.
Those keen to watch the meteors fall to earth can head to Mushrif Park today, where the Dubai Astronomy Group will host a workshop and meteor viewing at Al Thuraya Astronomy Centre between 8pm and 10pm. It will include a talk on the Perseids by the group’s director, Hasan Al Hariri, and advice on how to photograph the night sky.
Visitors will be able to use telescopes for gazing at Saturn, globular clusters and nebulae.
Tomorrow, astronomers will head to the desert for the height of the meteor show, which is expected to take place between 8.30pm and the early hours of Sunday. Attendance today is mandatory for participants in tomorrow’s event.
The Perseid meteor shower occurs every August as the Earth moves through debris left by the biggest object known to pass near the Earth, Comet Swift-Tuttle.
Meteoroids enter the atmosphere travelling at about 60 kilometres a second. As they enter, friction heats them to 1,650°C, hot enough to burn up before our eyes into what we call shooting stars.
This year’s shower is expect to average 50 to 100 meteors per hour. A three-quarter Moon, however, will make it tricky to catch the full show this year.
Tomorrow’s event costs Dh100, with snacks and drinks provided. Registration is required. Today’s event is free and the forecast is for clear skies.